Fender Player Stratocaster

A quick disclaimer: You’ll see a ton of Strats when it comes to funk guitar. Whether you’re looking to cop Maggot Brain–era Eddie Hazel lead tones, to chunk out your favorite John Frusciante riffs, or to dish out some classic Jimmy Nolen–style muted rhythms, the Strat is a solid choice for just about any funk-fueled venture. In almost all modern Strat-style instruments, the middle pickup is reverse wound and reverse polarity; so, when it’s played in the 2 and 4 positions on the 5-way blade selector, it produces a uniquely percussive and hum-canceling tone. Often referred to as a “quack,” this sound is an integral part of many a classic funk band’s formula. So, unless we state otherwise, you can be sure that any Strat-style instrument on this list can quack with the best of them.

With that in mind, it only makes sense to start this list with what is perhaps Fender’s best dollar-per-value instrument, the endlessly versatile Player Stratocaster. All the usual Stratty characteristics are here, including a lightweight alder body, maple neck and fingerboard, and a trio of Fender’s iconic single-coils that deliver all the glassy highs and round lows you could ever want. Add in the silky-smooth satin-finished C-shaped neck, top-quality hardware, and synchronized trem, and the Fender Player Stratocaster is a rock-solid choice for any guitarist looking to up their funk game.

Squier Affinity Series Telecaster

As common as Strats are in the world of funk, you can never go wrong with the unparalleled reliability of the Stratocaster’s older, plank-shaped sibling, the Telecaster. The most budget-friendly instrument on this list, the Squier Affinity Series Telecaster, is not only an excellent choice for first-time funkers but also the perfect guitar for any musician looking to start their 6-string journey. This guitar’s dual single-coil pickups capture the classic sparkle and spank that’s made the Telecaster one of the most iconic models in history. More than a few funk legends have cut their most iconic tracks with the trebly twang of this slab-body classic’s bridge pickup. The rosewood-on-maple neck’s comfortable “C” shape is sure to please players of all sizes. It offers a slick satin finish that facilitates all manner of funky fingerboard finesse. If you’re looking to dip your toes into the funk world but want a flexible guitar to cover just about anything else, then the Squier Affinity Series Telecaster should be at the top of your list.

Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard

A Les Paul for funk? While certainly a less common option when surveying the modern funk landscape, it’s a great choice for capturing the old-school sound of early funk music with a resounding sustain that’s a natural fit when venturing into the psychedelic haze of Parliament-Funkadelic’s psych-rock/funk hybrid. A guitar like the Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard offers a fuller, girthier take on the funk-guitar formula — no doubt a result of its rich, PAF-style, American-made Burstbucker humbuckers — that works particularly well in smaller ensembles where you need a guitar to fill out a large chunk of sonic space. Shaped in the traditional Les Paul mold, this Epiphone’s mahogany body produces exceptional warmth and sustain. At the same time, the maple top offers just enough articulation to keep your choppy rhythms clear and present.

D’Angelico Premier Mini DC

During funk’s early days in the ’60s, semi-hollow guitars were all over the place. While you might be tempted to write off the semi-hollow family as too polite for funk’s sheer nastiness, semi-hollow and hollowbody guitars were a frequent choice of Jimmy Nolen — the main guitarist of the man who invented funk, James Brown. So, it’s safe to say that the D’Angelico Premier Mini DC is the perfect choice for players with an ear toward the classics, sporting a combination of warm Seymour Duncan–designed humbucker power and airy semi-hollow tone that’s ideal for ripping out some old-school funk chicken-scratch rhythms and soulful leads. Plus, the quick C-profile neck, middle-of-the-road 25-inch radius, and slightly reduced body size give the Premier Mini DC a high-performance edge that’s ideal for musicians looking for the sound of the past with the playability of the future. And let’s be real here — anyone familiar with the distinctive style of George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, or even Prince knows that image is an indispensable part of funk culture. You’ll have to get the star-shaped sunglasses and purple jumpsuit on your own, but this guitar’s blinged-out art deco style and attention-demanding Ocean Turquoise finish will declare to your audience that the funk has arrived!

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster

In the big leagues, we’ll be tossing a few more Strat-style instruments your way, and who better to represent the Stratocaster’s modern funk might than the inimitable Cory Wong? Based on Cory’s #1 axe that he’s played for years with Vulfpeck and the Fearless Flyers, the Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster sports a slightly slimmed-down alder body — it’s a feature also found on fellow funker Nile Rodgers’s legendary signature Hitmaker Strat. Both guitarists agree that it slightly alters the instrument’s tone for the better. A trio of three Cory Wong signature Seymour Duncan pickups is the perfect platform for Cory’s rhythm-meets-lead insanity, loaded with bell-like cleans and a fierce, chunky grind when pushed. Plus, the built-in treble bleed ensures your high end remains loud and proud when rolling down the volume — essential when you need to cut through the mix of a dense, horn-filled ensemble. Finally, this Strat is built for high-speed playability (have you seen the man’s right-hand technique?), boasting a Modern D–shaped maple neck, a compound-radius rosewood fingerboard, medium-jumbo frets, and deluxe locking tuners to get every drop of performance out of this funk machine.

PRS Silver Sky

Inspired by a model familiar to any funk guitarist, the PRS Silver Sky was designed with John Mayer to deliver a modern take on the classic 3-pickup, double-cut solidbody. While Mayer may not be the first musician you think of when discussing funk guitarists, the Silver Sky’s three single-coil pickups produce a round, rich tone full of glassy highs and punchy lows that pop right out of the amp when you’re tossing out single-note, syncopated riffs. It even features a 5-position pickup selector with quacky in-between positions! PRS is renowned at Sweetwater for the world-class quality of their hardware, so it’s no surprise that the alder body’s classic-style tremolo and the maple-on-maple neck’s closed-back locking tuners offer unmatched stability with even the heaviest vibrato usage.

G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanche

Are they single-coils? Humbuckers? The G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanche‘s Z-coil pickups are somewhere in the middle, providing the chime and sparkle of a traditional 3-pickup solidbody without even a hint of hum. Like another famous manufacturer on this list, G&L was the brainchild of Leo Fender (and the equally legendary George Fullerton), offering their spin on classic solidbody guitar models but with enhanced performance and modernized features. The Fullerton Deluxe Comanche fulfills that philosophy with its traditional alder body, rosewood-on-maple neck, and iconic contoured double-cut design, but just about everything else is given a forward-thinking overhaul that’s sure to please funk players who value reliability and tone over vintage-correct appointments. The Dual-Fulcrum vibrato allows you to impart every note and chord with an expressive feel without even the slightest fear of your instrument going out of tune. Moreover, the PTB knob (passive bass and treble) cuts down the low frequencies in your pickups, allowing you to effortlessly achieve the trebly, cutting tone that’s standard issue in every funk guitarist’s tonal arsenal. Finally, although this guitar’s pickups are far from the traditional 3-single-coil design, fear not! The two and four positions deliver a powerful take on the classic quacky tone.

Gibson ES-335 Figured

If you’re playing a semi-hollow guitar, then chances are it can trace its lineage straight back to the mighty Gibson ES-335, one of the most versatile instruments in the world of electric 6-strings. Freddie Stone of Sly and the Family Stone; Leo Nocentelli of the Meters; Al McKay of Earth, Wind & Fire; Tony Maiden of Rufus; all these absolute titans of funk guitar cut many a classic track on instruments in the Gibson ES-335 family. If the Strat is seen as the #1 funk guitar, then you’d be hard-pressed to find a better #2 than the endlessly versatile ES-335. What’s more, this is no ordinary 335. This instrument is about as elegant as an electric guitar can get, sporting a highly figured AAA maple top, luxurious vintage-style aesthetics, and a stunning Iced Tea nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

Under the hood, the ES-335 Figured has a tone to match its vintage looks with two Calibrated T-Type humbuckers that produce a slightly brighter, chime-filled take on the classic humbucking pickup. On the neck side, quartersawn mahogany is utilized for unyielding structural stability, topped with a gorgeous rosewood fingerboard, then carved into a slightly chunky rounded “C” shape that facilitates lightning-fast chord changes. Not only does the ES-335 Figured excel in any funk-filled environment, but it’s also a top-tier choice for genre-hopping guitarists all but guaranteed to be the crown jewel of your collection.